Dreams - Part One: Regroup
by dragoncreators
Summary: Ash gets asked some hard questions that make him realize he may have forgotten more than he thought along his journey. Ash remembers why he is doing this, and what his dream is. He will find all his true friends and together they will become the very best, like no ONE ever was. - A Pokemon fic that we all secretly wish would come true. No Shipping. In-Character Ash.
1. A Dream and the Five Queries

**Pokemon: Dream - Part One: Regroup**

Posted 3/14/14

**_This disclaimer counts for all future chapters: I do not own Pokemon as it belongs Nintendo and Game Freak. I am just playing with their story and I do not earn a profit._**

**A/N The dream sequence is NOT my normal writing style, no worries. Other AN notes are at the bottom of the chapter.**

~.~

Chapter One: Dreams and the five W's.

~.~

Ash Ketchum was young boy on a journey, a journey in the fantastic world of Pokemon.

Ash was now dreaming. He was dreaming a dream he had quite often…

"Mmmmmm, baaacooonnn…" Ash Ketchum was dreaming about food.

Ash's mouth watered as he reached out to the giant floating bacon strips, he hovered along the rainbow of the delicious smell of his favorite food.

Suddenly, everything went black.

"Whu-Wha?" Ash looked around, but saw nothing but darkness. "What happened to all the bacon?" Ash asked, bewildered and disappointed.

"Mew".

"WHAH!" Ash jumped up like a startled Meowth and spun around, and sure enough, there was Mew the New Species Pokemon, just floating there, her large eyes staring at him quite seriously for the usually playful legendary.

"It's Mew!" Ash stated the obvious, as he is wont to do, "Hello Mew! I haven't seen you in a while, how have you been?"

Mew tilted her head, and then she hovered up close until they were nose-to-nose.

_Ash Ketchum._

"Huh?" Ash asked, trying to back away from Mew, but she just floated closer.

_What is your dream?_

The voice was so strange, alien. It was a voice that wasn't a voice because it had no sound, a thought that wasn't a thought because it had no decision. It was the very concept, an idea, and it completely baffled Ash. "My dream? Umm…" Ash tried to think of his dream, but it hovered just out of reach…

_**FLASH  
**_

"_I will journey to gain the wisdom of Pokémon training, and I hereby declare to the Pokémon of the world, I will be a Pokémon master... Pokémon Master that is what I'll-"__**  
**_

_**FLASH**__  
_

That's it! I want to be a Pokemon Master! How did I forget that?" Ash asked in shame and confusion.

_Who?_

"Who am I? You know who I am! I'm Ash!"

_Who?_

"You don't mean my name, huh? I don't really know, I think I am still figuring that out… I guess I am a friend, a son, and a trainer who hopes to be the very best, making friends across the land, learning about them and finding our inner strength..."

_Why?_

"Oh, why do I want to be the very best, a Master? I don't know, I haven't really thought about It… I guess it's because I love Pokemon and making friends with them… And to be the Master means I can meet all of them... It's all about the journey. I love traveling; sometimes I wish I could travel forever…" Ash said, lost in thought.

_How?_

"What do you mean? Oh, you mean how will I become a Pokemon Master? I guess I'll keep going to different regions and try to win the Pokemon league…"

_How?_

"How will I win? I don't know… I always tried to win before, but it was never enough…"

_HOW?_

"Ah! I guess I'll get stronger and train harder, this time I'll win for sure, I promise!"

_**HOW?**_

"What more do you want? I mean I _guess_ I could ask my friends for help…"

Her eyes showed approval. _Where?_

"Where are my friends? What do you mean? They are traveling with me!"

_Where?_

"You mean my other friends? They all have a life now… I can't bother them."

_WHERE?_

"What do you mean?"

_**FLASH**_

"_I am never alone as long as I have my Pokemon with me!"_

"_They are my best friends!"_

_**FLASH**_

"Oh, you mean my Pokemon! My Pokemon are with me, and is Professor Oaks Pokemon Ranch!"

**_WHERE?_**

"OKAY! You are right… I don't have to own a Pokemon to be friends with them, and some of them I even left behind…"

"Butterfree, Primeape, Haunter, Pidgeot, Lapras, Squirtle, Larvitar, Charizard, Riolu… They are all my friends… I miss them and haven't seen them in so long… I know that we can win together if we worked for it, we can do anything together, I cannot believe I forgot that… I will go see them again and ask them to rejoin me, If they do it would be wonderful, but it's their choice…" Ash looked down, away from Mew's soul-searching eyes. "I don't know what I'd do if they didn't forgive me… But then we will be together, we can be a family once more! All of us, together for the first time!" He looked up in earnest excitement and determination.

Mew smiled for the first time since her appearance, giggled and spun upside-down. The god-like pokemon looked into her Chosen's eyes. His eyes widened as Mew's sky-blue orbs seem to look deep into his soul, searching for something he could not explain…

_**When?**_

Ash woke up and sat straight up out of his sleeping bag, his tent collapsing on top of him.

"Pi chu Pika, Pikapi!" Pikachu screeched in protest, leaping out of the tent.

Pikachu spun around, preparing to launch a thundershock in protest to being woken from his sleep, when two hands reached out of the tent and grabbed him.

"Pik-" a laugh came from the tent, and a messy head of hair popped out of the ten and wriggled until he was free, laughing all the while.

"Pi chu pika?" Pikachu asked is concern, worried for his Pikapi's sanity.

"I'm fine Pikachu, No I'm great!" Ash said, his deep brown eyes sparkling with excitement and renewed wonder. "I think I lost myself for a little while... I lost myself and my dream. I forgot why I was traveling in the first place, I lost the wonder and love for Pokemon..." "Pi Pikapi!" Pikachu shouted in denial.

"No, it's true Buddy! But it's okay, because I found it again." He laughed, standing up and spinning around with Pikachu in his hands, "I want to be a Pokemon Master! But I cannot do it alone; I need my friends with me!"

"Pi?"

"I don't mean them, I mean our companions, our partners, the ones that were the first and the ones that I left behind when I lost myself. We are going back! We are going to get everybody together at Oaks, and then we will find the ones that we lost! Pidgeot, Squirtle, Haunter, even Butterfree if we can find him! The whole team, no, the whole _family_ back together once again! It will be great!"

Pikachu started to smile, and then he started to laugh along with Ash, catching on to his Pikapi's excitement to have everyone together once more.

Their companion they met only recently grumbled in her tent as they got noisier in their excitement; Alexa was never good in the mornings.

Ash and Pikachu spun around until Ash became so dizzy that he fell with a "oof!" onto the forest floor, giggling breathlessly in giddiness at his renewed purpose.

To be a Pokemon Master

~.~

**A/N:**** Hello! So I am finally trying out this writing thing! I think I did pretty well for a first-timer, huh?**

**This story starts between the last and the second-to-last episodes of the Best Wishes arc. Don't worry if you haven't seen it, the series arc is only a small part, and the companion is going to move on, so it really doesn't matter.**

**I would love some reviews and constructive criticism as I welcome a way to get better in writing. Please ****no hating****, it took long enough for me to actually post this. **

**So this story is pretty much what I wish Ash would realize, that he forgot why he was doing this and trying so hard, now is finding his determination to be the best for his Pokemon, and for his dream.**

**So this is as In-Character as I could make Ash, so this means; mannerisms and actions of a boy, oblivious to romance (no shipping!), and a little dense. But it also means he is; smart when needed, and with a bunch of creativity and spontaneity stuffed along with his street-smarts into his brain. This is Ash if he wasn't restricted to the 'show never ends' rule that Pokemon has going on. This is Ash as we all secretly wish he would be.**

**Also, in case you were wondering, that was not Mew. You'll find out who it was later on.**

**~ Aurora**


	2. Misjudgment, Reunion and a Storm

**Chapter Two: Misjudgment, Reunions and a Storm.**

Posted 3/16/14

Ash Ketchum walked happily along the path of the Viridian Forest, practically skipping as he breathed the morning air. Pikachu clung to his Pikapi's shoulder, practically falling off of Ash as he bounced along cheerfully.

"Pikapi." Pikachu protested warily.

"Cheer up Buddy! It's a beautiful day, a great day for a new start!" Ash said.

"Wait up Ash!"

Alexa shouted breathlessly as she ran to catch up with the overly-cheerful boy. "Ash, I can only go so fast! I haven't even gotten my coffee yet! Why are you so cheerful anyway?" she protested, pulling her hair into a Ponyta Tail as she went.

"It's a great day! The sun is shining and the Pidgies are singing." He looked at her, "Besides, there is no need to worry!" Ash said, winking as he said his friend Dawn's favorite catchphrase, "We will be in Pallet Town in only a few miles, you will get coffee there!"

"But Ash, My Poke-tech says there is a storm coming in; we should have stayed and waited for it to pass!" She says, pulling out her Poke-tech and double-checking.

"I don't believe it! Look at the sky, there is not a cloud in sight!"

There was an ominous _crackle_ before rain started pounding at the ground in torrents.

"Pi-Ka!" Pikachu whined in protest, trying and failing to shake the rainwater out of his fur as Ash and Alexa ran to the cover under the trees.

"Oh, Ash… It looks like you jinxed it!" Alexa said, put out that her prediction was true.

Ash started to pull off his jacket, Pikachu jumping on his head as he pulled off his backpack. "Aw, man. I should have known…" Ash slid his jacket off his arms, "This always happens…" Ash said, putting on his backpack on again and holding his jacket over his and Pikachu's head.

"C'mon, let's get going, it doesn't look like it's going to let up anytime soon, and we are almost there anyways." Ash sped up, stepping carefully around in the now treacherous forest path.

"Oh, Ash… I might as well follow him, but he better be right! I need to look professional and this rain isn't doing anything good for that image!" Alexa muttered to herself, holding her tent tarp over her head as she carefully followed Ash.

There was a thunderous BOOM that made the ground rumble, before the wind picked up even more. Ash's jacket got ripped out of his hands and he had to chase it a little ways before caught up to it, hanging on a bush all torn up and muddy. "Oh no! Mom is going to kill me!" Ash cried, picking it off the bush and shaking it.

"You can look at it later! We need to get out of the rain!" Alexa huffed, finally catching up with Ash.

"Pi, pi pika!" Pikachu grabbed their attention, pointing up in the air.

"Oh no…" Ash muttered in dread looking up to hundreds of silhouettes up in the air, clashing and charging at each other. "It's like they are having a war!" Alexa shouted in dismay.

Countless Pidgies and Spearows battled it out over the forest, clashing and pecking at one another, only to break apart and do it again.

"We have to stop them!" Ash shouted "They are going to kill each other if the storm doesn't do that first!"

"But Ash," Alexa protested, putting a hand on his shoulder and shivering from the cold "What are we going to do? How are would we get up there, and even if we did, how would we stop them?"

"I don't know, but we got to try!" Ash said determinedly. "Pikapi!" Pikachu shouted, pointing to two figures grappling each other and falling rapidly to the forest floor. "Pidgeot!" Ash shouted in recognition and worry, "C'mon!" Ash called over his shoulder, disappearing into the forest.

Ash ran as quickly as he could toward where he saw the figures fall, dodging around trees and picking around fallen branches. Pikachu hopped off his shoulder and ran ahead of him as they sped as fast as they could through the forest, almost slipping several times.

Finally they broke through into a clearing and saw an impact crater up ahead.

"Pidgeot!" "Pikachu!" they cried, running over the lip of the crater to the fallen bird.

Pidgeot was at the bottom of the crater, her once shiny feathers caked with mud and grime, wounds covering her breast and her plume was in tatters. "Pidgeot! Are you alright!? Please be okay! Pidgeot!" Ash cried, stroking her crest and pleading for her to wake.

Suddenly, Pidgeot's eyes snapped open and she shot up onto her talons, just as the Fearow across from her got up as well.

"Pidgeot?" Asked Ash. The great Fearow across from them was the biggest Ash has ever seen, and it was in just as bad of shape as Pidgeot. The Beak Pokemon's eyes shot to Ash and widened in recognition, taking a step forward threateningly. "Pidgo!" Pidgeot trilled, holding her wings out protectively in from of Ash. "Fear-ow FEAR!" Fearow cawed, jabbing his beak at Ash and narrowing his eyes in accusation.

"No! No more fighting!" Ash yelled, running in front of Pidgeot and holding out his arms, barring them from each other.

"Fe-row fear fearow!?" Fearow cawed, looking at Pidgeot and back at Ash. "Pid-Pidgeot!" Pidgeot replied, narrowing her eyes at the Fearow. "Pika!" Pikachu protested, "Pi pi-ka pikachu!?" Pikachu asked.

Pidgeot turns to Pikachu and makes a series of trills and whistles. "Fear!" Fearow protests, and made a series of caws and barks, only to be interrupted by Pidgeot. "What is happening Pikachu?" Ash asks, trying to get to the bottom of the situation before they start fighting again.

"Pi pika, Pikachu chu, chu pika!" Pikachu plays charades.

"Uhuh, uhuh… So basically, this whole thing is over territory!?" Pikachu nods gravely despite the caws and trills in protest.

"Stop this! Don't you see what your fight has done!?" Ash yells, pointing up in the sky. Silhouettes of fighting birds fall to the ground. Directly overhead a Pidgie and Spearow are seen fighting, their bellies riddled with wounds and their claws held out in attack.

Pidgeot looks downward, ashamed, and even Fearow looks down for a second before he takes a second look at Ash, anger flashing in his eyes. "Fe-fearow fear fearow!?" "Pidgeot!" Pidgeot once again shields Ash from view.

"No, stop Pidgeot!" Ash says, pulling Pidgeot's wings away, "You are the Spearow I tried to catch all those years ago… You want revenge, huh?"

Fearow jerks his head in a terse nod. "Then we'll fight. Call your army down, and we'll do this once and for all!"

Fearow steps from one claw to the other, looking up into the sky then back to Ash. "Well?" Ash asks imploringly. "Fear-ow." Fearow nods.

"Great! Now-" "Fe, Fearow Fear." Fearow caws, pointing his beak at Pikachu and shaking his head.

"Without… Pikachu?" Ash asks, unsure.

"Pidgeo!""Pika!" Pidgeot and Pikachu immediately protest.

"I'll do it." Ash says determinedly, ignoring looks of horror from Pikachu and Pidgeot.

~.~

"You can't do this Ash!" Alexa protests from by the forest edge along with nods of agreement from Pikachu. "I have to." Ash says, resolute in his decision.

Their battlefield was a forest clearing near where Fearow and Pidgeot landed, the forest around it ringed with countless bird Pokemon, separated into two by Pidgies and Spearows.

"Besides, have a little faith, huh? I mean, how hard could it be?" Ash asked optimistically.

"Pidgeo… Pidgeot." Pidgeot crooned worriedly, combing Ash's soaked hair with her beak. "I'll be okay Pidgeot, don't worry." Ash said, pushing Pidgeot's beak away. Pidgeot trilled hesitantly for a few seconds more, before taking off to fly above the clearing to watch.

"Hehehe… How hard could it be?" Ash gulped, his confident demeanor falling away.

Ash looked across the field to the huge Fearow, sharp claws and long deadly beak certainly letting Fearow live up to his name.

The Fearow looked at Ash, eyes showing hesitation only for a moment before steeling again.

"Umm… Let the Battle between Fearow, the leader of the Viridian Spearows and Ash Ketchum of Pallet town begin!" Alexa shouted, despite her doubts.

Immediately, Fearow charged in with a cry at Ash.

Ash scrabbled out of the way and ran to the side, only getting a second before Fearow was upon him again.

Ash just kept running as fast as he could, looking around for something he could use as a weapon, but he could spot nothing in the vicinity.

Fearow was just about to make a grab at Ash when Ash slipped and fell, tripping the Beak Pokemon and sending him beak-first into the mud.

Ash backed up and got to his feet, looking around again and spotting a sharp stick.

Running over he grabbed it just as Fearow got his beak free. Ash charged at Fearow, holding the stick up above his head –

- Only for it to get snatched from his hand as he got near and thrown across the clearing. Fearow just gave Ash a look that seemed to say 'is that all you got?' the army of Spearow laughing in the background.

Ash dove under Fearow just as its beak snapped shut, Fearow blinking in shock that the human escaped it yet again. "Fearow!" Fearow cawed in anger, tired of playing around.

"What do I do!?" Ash yells, looking around for anything that might help. "There!" Ash's eyes shone with determination.

Fearow was tired, tired of fighting, tired of the rain, tired of this darn human that is making a fool of him in front of his Spearows. Fearow spotted the human, cowering down by a stump in the center of the clearing. Fearow snorted in contempt at the pathetic sight before deciding to finish this fight once and for all.

Fearow charged at the cowering boy and was just close enough to snatch off his hat before the human jumped away. The Fearow's head following the boy, trying to get at him before his eyes widened and he fell to the forest floor with a thud, his talons tied up in Ivy.

In a flash Ash jumped onto the Fearow's back, pulling the length of Ivy vine he had in his hands around the Pokemon's beak, taking advantage of the Fearow's surprise in order to wind the vine around it several times.

"FEAROW!" Fearow gave a muffled cry, his eyes flashing in rage, thrashing and fighting to free his beak.

Ash held on with all his might, adrenalin and will was all that was left, his body slammed into the ground and his head battered as the great bird thrashed, but still Ash hung on. "Just give up! I won't let go! I won't let you guys keep fighting!"

Fearow kept on thrashing and fighting, one wing beating franticly, battering Ash's head as the other was trapped underneath their combined weight. But true to his word Ash did not let up for a moment. With his claws and beak bound by Ivy, there wasn't much Fearow could do but try and buck Ash off of him.

Finally after what seemed to be an eternity, Fearow's struggles started to weaken. "Do you give?" Ash asked once more, breathless from exertion.

Fearow finally stopped, resolve weakened by a day of hard fighting and after being shown his argument so petty in the face of his kind's suffering. Ash pulled Fearow's head around to look him in the eye. "Do you give? No more fighting?" Fearow gave a weak and muffled caw in confirmation.

Ash slowly unbound the bird's beak pulling away afterward with freezing and cramped hands. Fearow opened his beak only to pant harshly. Ash rolled off of Fearow's back weakly, crawling over to the Pokemon's claws and unbinding them, hands shaky and fumbling all the while. Finally Ash flopped down besides Fearow, taking great gulps of air and staring up at the still-raining clouds, too exhausted to care about the rain.

"Ash!" a voice called. He weakly raised his arm to show he was okay before letting it flop down again as Alexa ran up to him, Pikachu jumping down from her arms to run up to him and nuzzle him.

"Ash! That was the stupidest thing I have ever seen… But I am so glad you are alright!" Alexa said as she knelt down to help him up. "Let's get out of the rain, okay?"

"No." Ash panted "No, not yet."

Fearow got up behind him slowly, just as Pidgeot landed. Pidgeot nuzzled and trilled to Ash, so relived her hatchling was alright and her eyes shining with pride.

"See, I told you I would be alright Pidgeot." Ash smiled, pushing way her beak.

"Now, are you guys going to quit fighting?" Ash asked, standing away from Alexa to look at Pidgeot.

Pidgeot and Fearow looked at each other, a grudging respect in each other's eyes.

"Fe Fearow fear fe fear fe-row fe fearow," Fearow told Pidgeot. "Fear fe-fear fearow-row Fearow."

"Pidgeot Pi pidgeo pid-pidgeot." Pidgeot replied. "pid pidgeo pid-pidg pidgeot."

They looked back to Ash and nodded in unison.

Ash gave a giant grin and laughed with happiness and relief "All right!"

Ash's smile grew a little sad "Well, it looks like we part ways once again Pidgeot."

Pidgeot gave a wide-eyed look at Ash "I wanted to ask you to come with me, but it looks like you are still needed here…" "Pidgeo!" Pidgeot cried in protest. "Pidgeot?" Ash asked in wonder, "you want to come with me?"

Pidgeot dipped her head in a nod, before turning and calling out to the line of Pidgies around the forest "Pidgeot!"

A Pidgeotto detached from the line of birds before joining Pidgeot.

"Who is this?" Ash asked, "Is this your mate?"

Pidgeot trilled a laugh while shaking her head earnestly, wrapping a wing around the blushing Pidgeotto protectively.

"Oh, I'm sorry! She's your daughter!" Pidgeot pushed the shy Pidgeotto up to Ash. "Nice to meet you, I'm Ash Ketchum! I'm a friend of you mother's." Ash said, grinning widely. Pidgeotto gave a friendly trill, before looking back to her mother.

Pidgeot gave a series of trills to her offspring, the Pidgeotto shaking her head until Pidgeot once again repeated herself. Pidgeotto wrapped a wing around her daughter, combing her feathers while trilling comfortingly before stepping back and pushing her toward the line of Pidgies.

Pidgeot turned back toward Ash and pointed her beak at his belt of Pokeballs that he was slipping back on his jeans. "Are you sure Pidgeot?" Ash asked one last time, holding out a Pokeball.

Pidgeot turned to Fearow, giving him a long look before nodding in approval and turning back to Ash and tapping on the ball, converting into light and being sucked inside with a 'ding'.

Ash turned to Fearow "Well Fearow, it looks like this is where we part, I better not hear of you causing any more trouble, okay?"

Fearow gave Ash a questioning look. "What?" Ash asked.

Fearow pointed back to where he admitted defeat, the turned back to Ash and pointed at his pokeball belt. "Yes, I won, but all I wanted was for there to be peace between you guys! Besides, don't you need to look after the Spearow?"

Fearow pointed his beak to a smaller Fearow behind him, before looking back at Ash.

"Are you sure? I mean you-"

Fearow rolled his eyes before bending down and tapping on a free pokeball himself, being sucked in and caught without struggle. Ash un-attached the pokeball from his belt and looked at it uncomprehendingly.

"I caught… A Fearow?" Ash asked Pikachu, and was replied with a worried nod.

"Ash, I think we should get out of the r-" "I caught… a FEAROW!" Ash shouted, holding the pokeball up above his head, accompanied by a "Pi-pikachu!" from Pikachu.

Ash held the pose for a few seconds, grinning in happiness before suddenly erupting into an "AH-_CHOO_!"

~.~

_Translation of Pidgeot-Fearow conversation: "Stop!" "But it's HIM!" "you will deny me vengeance!?" "this is our fight."_

_Pikachu: "Stop!" "Why are you fighting!?"_

_Pidgeot explains that the Spearow have been trying to take over the forest, attacking any Pokemon deemed weaker than them. _

_Fearow protests that they were not, that they were just protecting their territory from the Pidgies and the humans._

"_Who are you to tell me what to do!?" "Stop it now!"_

"_Very well" "But without him."_

"_No!" "No!"_

_After battle:_

"_I always thought you were weak to be caught by a human." "But it turns out it was an just an exceptional human."_

"_I always thought you were just a no-good gangster." "But your Spearow's really love you."_

_Background: After Pidgeot stayed in the forest, the Pidgies made her their leader and there was a 'baby boom'. The Spearow's felt their territory was being threatened and defended 'their side' of the forest with more force than necessary. The Pidgies felt that the whole forest belonged to everybody, but warned their young to stay away. Of course, the young didn't listen and got hurt. Pidgies retaliated, Spearows got revenge etc. Instead of talking out territories it dissolved into all-out war._

**A/N: I bet you guys thought he was going to use Aura XD. I'll save that for later! The only real reason Ash won, was because Fearow was battling all day and who knows how many battles before that (And his honor -and arrogance- in not flying and battling Ash on even turf), because of Ash's weird street/battle smarts, and of course, luck. **

**Was that in-character or what? **

**Ash is going to be MISERABLE next chapter! XD**

**I haven't seen much of Alexa, so I don't really know her personality, but I did my best based on what I have seen on the Bulbapeidia. I don't really know how soon each chapter is going to come; I'm not too worried about it though. Again, I'd appreciate constructive criticism, but no hating!**

**Ja ne! ~ Aurora**


	3. Bed Rest and Betrayal

**Chapter Two: Bed Rest and Betrayal**

Posted: 3/23/14

~.~

"Oh my!" Delia Ketchum exclaimed, holding a hand to her heart and staring at her son in shock and horror, Mimey the Mr. Mime fluttering his hands anxiously behind her.

She had good reason to be shocked, her son stood in her doorway, dripping wet and covered head-to-toe in mud, leaning against his friend Alexa who was equally soaked.

"Ash, what happened?" Delia asked worriedly while ushering in the two shivering teens into the living room. "Mimey, be a dear and get us some towels." She asked kindly, sitting down her son and his friend in front of the fire. "Mister mime!" Mimey nodded, bustling into the back of the house.

"Well Mrs. Ketchum, A-" Alexa was interrupted. "Why don't I set some water on the stove to make some tea, then you can introduce yourself dear." Delia said, walking through the house divider into the kitchen.

"Okay…" Alexa said. Alexa looked around the living room while wringing out her light brown hair, green eyes observing the place where her friend grew up. The house was pretty cozy with light green flowery wallpaper and a big window with golden drapes closing the room from the outside world. A small fire place on one wall was lit with crackling orange flame, bathing the living room in comforting golden light. The room had two couches with a small coffee table, bookshelves lining the walls and a rocking chair overlooked with an arching reading lamp.

Alexa looked up at the walls covered in picture frames of Ash, Mrs. Ketchum, Mimey, Professor Oak and a man with sharp features and grey hair.

Alexa pointed at the unidentified man, "Hey Ash, who is that? Is that your dad?" Ash stopped picking at his hands at the question and looked at the picture and back to her, something indecipherable flashing in his eyes. "No, that's Spencer Hale, a researcher. Mom studied under him and Professor Oak when she was younger." Alexa was about to ask who his dad was, but stopped herself.

"I have a funny story regarding him, remind me and I'll tell you about it later." He said, taking a towel from the returned Mimey and thanking him.

A comfortable silence descended, Ash staring into the fire and Alexa looking up at the pictures of a younger Ash while drying her hair. Ash's younger self was wearing a tan vest, covered in mud much like now, and besides an equally messy Gary, both grinning impishly. Alexa noticed the 'Z' marks on the young Ash's cheeks, and looked back at the present Ash, rubbing his face with the towel to reveal the marks.

"Where did you get those marks Ash?" Alexa asked, gesturing at his cheeks.

Ash blinked and pointed to his cheeks, "Oh, these? They are birth marks. Mom used to joke that I was blessed by Zekrom." He smiled, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously.

"Yes, that's my Ashy. I always knew he was special." Delia returned with a tea-tray, setting it down on the simple oak coffee table. "And who you might be, dear?" Delia asked.

Alexa blushed "I'm sorry Mrs. Ketchum, my name is Alexa Pansy, I'm a journalist from the Kalos region. I met your son a few weeks ago when he tried to catch my Helioptile." She glared at Ash playfully.

Ash raised his hands "Hey, I didn't know it was yours! I thought it was wild!" He said defensively.

Alexa smiled at Ash to say all was forgiven, and continued "I'm going to return to Kalos in a few days after interviewing Professor Oak. Ash also says he's going to come with me."

At his mom's surprised look, Ash reluctantly said, "Actually Alexa, I changed my mind. I had a dream that showed me that I really need a change of pace. I'm going to stay here for a little while before going back for some of my other Pokemon… I don't know exactly what I'm going to do, but my Pokemon need me here for a little longer." Ash looked at Alexa apologetically.

Alexa nodded slowly "I think I understand. You have been rushing around so much you forgot to pay attention to all your Pokemon equally." At Ash's surprised look, she continued "I've seen it happen before, Pokemon trainers get so caught up in battling and glory that they completely neglect their Pokemon. I'm a bit disappointed you are not coming with me, but I'm glad you caught it before you became that kind of trainer."

Ash gave her a thankful expression, "Thank you Alexa, I'm really glad we can remain friends despite this." He held up a fist "Someday I WILL come to the Kalos region, and I will come and visit you and your sister's gym, and I will defeat you and conquer the Kalos region together with all my Pokemon!" He said, eyes flaming with determination.

Alexa laughed with delight at his spirit, "It won't be easy, but somehow I believe you will make it!"

Ash leaned over to grab a cup of tea, but immediately dropped it, Delia only barely grabbed it before it hit the ground. "YEOWCH!" Ash yelped, blowing on his hands. Delia gently cupped her son's hands and looked at them. "This looks like some serious poison ivy rash! What happened!?"

Ash and Alexa explained what happened earlier. Ash finished with "The vines I used to tie up Fearow must have been poison ivy and I didn't notice in the rain." Delia was livid "No wonder you are in such bad shape! Why do you always get into these messes? I ought to give that bird a piece of my mind!"

Ash tried to sooth his mother's temper "It was just a misunderstanding! Besides, he and Pidgeot are back at the Ranch as I already had a full te-ah-tea-AH-_CHOO_!" he sneezed.

Delia tutted "Oh Ash! You are getting into a shower then going straight to bed! It'd be a miracle if you don't have hypothermia after an adventure like that!"

~.~

Ash stared up at the ceiling, to restless to fall asleep. Laughter echoed from downstairs as his mom and Alexa exchanged no doubt embarrassing stories about him. Delia Ketchum insisted her son go up and get some rest after forcing some medicine down his throat, but no matter how Ash tossed and turned, he could not get to sleep.

'tink' Ash looked over to the window just as a second rock hit it with a 'tink'.

He rushed over and unlocked it, shoving it open hurriedly. 'svip' two dark green vines vaulted over the windowsill and started searching for something to wrap around. Ash gently grabs the vines and they wrap around his arms and start pulling. Ash braces himself against the windowsill and soon gets tackled by a small green form with a "Bulba!"

Ash gives a huge grin and holds up the small quadruped up against the moonlight "Bulbasaur! I missed you so much! You came all this way in the rain for me?" The small celadon-green dinosaur gives a terse nod "Saur-Bulba!"

A call of 'Toto!' comes up from the ground, and Bulbasaur hopped down from Ash's arms, long green vines extending from the bulb on his back over the window, appearing again a moment later wrapped around a small familiar figure.

"Totodile!" Ash laughed, wrapping the small blue crocodile in a hug, soon dropping him as the Big Jaw Pokemon started dancing circles around Ash, cheering in excitement "Toto-totodile! Toto-totodile! Toto-Toto, Totodile!" Ash laughed "Totodile! Calm down, you are going to bring mom up here!"

Ash turns back to Bulbasaur, only to get slapped by a green vine, giving an audible 'smack'!

Ash stumbled backward, holding his cheek and just barely stopping himself from falling onto the bed.

"Bulba…" Bulbasaur growled, his red eyes mimicking a fire Pokemon "Bulba, bulb-saur bulba, bulba bulbasaur BULBA!" He yelled, gesturing angrily with his vines to Ash and out to the open window and beyond, to the ranch. "Bulb saur bulba bulba saur bulbaSAUR!" He stomped, gesturing to the watching Totodile, who was watching with such watering and soulful eyes that it struck Ash like a physical blow.

"Bulba-bulba bulb, saur bulba-BULBASAUR!" he yelled, thrashing his vines at the ground, his eyes watering with hurt and betrayal.

Ash got down on his knees with a 'thump', wrapping his arms around two pokemon, messy black hair covering his eyes. "Guys… I am so sorry…" he sniffed, a tear running down his cheek. "I had no idea… No that's not right, I SHOULD have known, and it never should have happened. I betrayed you." Ash lifted his head, looking into two pairs of red eyes, "All of you. I promised you guys forever, and I turned my back on it, ignorantly and STUPIDLY." He drew in a ragged breath. "You guys… you deserve so much better than me…"

He started to set the Pokemon down, when a pair of vines wrapped around his shoulders, keeping him from completing the motion. "Bulbasaur." Bulbasaur said curiously, something indecipherable in his voice. "Bulba-bul bulbasaur?" Bulbasaur looked up into Ash's eyes.

"No... I won't give up, not yet, not until I can at least TRY to make it up to you guys." Ash set them down, and sat down in from of them, his legs folded. "It may be selfish, but I want to at least try. You see, the reason I came back this time wasn't to just drop off more Pokemon." Ash said bitterly "I had a dream, a dream that made me realize how much I forgot." "Toto?" Totodile prodded him to continue, drying his eyes with the back of his claws, Ash tenderly wiped the tear.

"I forgot my dream, and I forgot why it was my dream. I want to be a Pokemon master, to search across new lands, making new friends, battling other trainers and teaching my Pokemon, ALL of them, the power that we all have inside us. I forgot that I wanted to learn as much as I wanted to teach… I left the lessons I learned behind, spat on the sacrifices my Pokemon have made for OUR dream. To be the best there ever was." Ash said, his eyes glowing with an inner light, one that Bulbasaur recognized from when he first met him.

"Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur shouted with glee and relief, tackling his partner to the ground. Ash laughed and wrapped his arms around the Seed Pokemon, Totodile dancing around them with renewed cheer.

That night Ash stayed up well past midnight, telling his friends tales of what has happened since they parted. They fell asleep in a growlithe-pile snoring in a mess of feet, claws and vines.

Pikachu peeked into the room after he heard them fall asleep finally and pulled the blankets over them, Ash sleepily pulling the electric mouse into the blankets to join them.

They slept more peacefully then they have for a long time.

~.~

A/N: This is what you'd call a 'filler' chapter, but it is still important to the plot in that Alexa is leaving and that Ash is forced to stay home instead of leaving or training his Pokemon immediately, as you can't train Pokemon when you can't even hold a pokeball, not to mention a case of mild hypothermia that will keep him from doing much for at least a week. Ash is going to just have to spend some quality time getting to know his Pokemon instead of battling with them for once. I'm not telling you what Bulbasaur said, use your imagination. I'm using Pokemon time mechanics, so things that would be a day later in the anime could be months away and vice-versa. This isn't a Pokemon franchise bashing fic (I may do that some other time though) so unless it is revealed in the anime, Ash is going to stay paradoxical 10, and his father won't be in this fic.

Don't worry, their will still be action, it won't all be fluff. This IS Ash Ketchum, after all.

Next chapter Ash visits his Pokemon. How will he regain their trust?


End file.
